Means for controlling well flow



p 16, 1940- *s. F. CUNNINGHAM 2,197,685

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING WELL FLOW Filed Nov. 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1940- s. F. CUNNINGHAM 7,685

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING WELL FLOW Filed Nov. 16, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lower member Ill.

Patented Aim 1940' assignor of one-half to Brauer'. Machine" & j

SupplyCompany, Oklahoma-City, Okla, a cor-' .poration of Oklahoma :Application November 16,;19sa's15ia1 No. 240,848 ,x

v "This inventionrelates to improvements in flow and the port lathe largest. The-part II is-solid means extending to the surface ofjthe well, may be controlled by the actuation of a cut-off valve 1 at the surface or upper'end of the well. I

Another object is to "supply a bottom hole-adjustable fiow bea'n of relativelysimple inexpensive and-practical construction, and one that is are provided at their upper ends with retained fauxiliary valves or balls 21 adapted, when the valve 23 is in its uppermost position, to cooperate with three of the seats of the part I I' so as to not liable tohget out of order in operation.

- Further-objectsof my invention are to produce an adjustable flow bean which will be self-lub-ricated and automatically balanced, and of-. such a structure-as-jwill enable its economical production and a high degree of 'efliciency and durability in operation.

Having now'indicated, in asgeneral way, the

. nature and purpose of my invention, I will proceedto a detail description thereof, with refer-v ence to'the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrateda preferredembodiment, and in Fig.1 is ,a vertical. sectional viewpartly in elevation, of my improved flow bean, with; the valve or activemember of the same shownin a descending position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view'of vthe upper portion of the structure, with the valve in its uppermost position.

" Figure 3 is a the structure, with thevalve in its lowermost position. i

Figs. 4, '5, 6 and '7 are horizontal sectional views the structure to a tubing string ,or the like.

The portion II of the member 9 which extends atelyabove the seats I2, I3 and I4,-the part. II

is provided with ports I6, and I8 of gradually increasing diameter, the port I6. being smallest,

V a. screw 30.

like view of the lower portion of designates a sleeve I Ea'chbi these memberspref-y erablyhasinternal threadsforuse in attaching above the seat I6, as indicated at 59..

Askirt depends from the part 'I I'zand for ms' cam teeth20, each of which extends 90, and has a; vertical edge 2I and a curved edge 22, the T latter being 90 in length.

An active member or valve 23qis arranged to reciprocatein the barrel, and consists of a cylindrical body 24 provided with a series of bores 25 and, 26 (see Figs. 5 and 6), eachof which extends vertically't-herethroughl: These bores may all be of the same size, and they are'spaced apart 90 from one another, so as to register with the valve 'seats [2, I3, I4, and I5. The port 25 is unobstructed, but the ports 26 are obstructed. :They

. ports, or for completely closing the flow through .all three ports i6, i1 and I8.

Each ball is yieldingly urgedupward by a' spring 28. arranged'in. its port 26, and such springs are retained-in their ports by a disk or plate 29 that is secured to the bottom of the valve member 23 by any suitable means such as This arrangement. allows cleaning or replacement, and the removal of'sand in the event sand should. enterthe ports-25.

a I The cylinder 24 is arranged in a cam sleeve 3| which is coaxial with the skirt of the member I I, and is provided at its upper end with cam teeth 32,- each, of which has avertioal edge 33 and a r cam edge 34, thelatter extending-90 teeth cooperate with the-teeth 29, as will be Such hereinafter explained. I

The lower end :of the cam sleeve terminates in teeth 35 which are similar to the teeth of the part II, with the exception that the curved surfaces 35 of the teeth 35 extend upwardly in a-counterclockwise direction, while the edges 32 of the teeth 26! extend upward in a clockwise direction.

The member an at the bottom of the barrel 8 is tubular and provided at its upper endwith upwardly extending teeth 38 which are complementary to the teeth and have vertical edges 39, which are in alignment with the vertical edges '2I of the teeth 20.

In operation, such structuremay be employed to regulate the flow from the well, and if the ifl at the top of the well will be closed, and this will result in equalization of pressure at the ends of the valve 23, whichwill cause the valve to descend due toits own weight; it being understood, of

course, that the valve is normally held in uppermost position by the pressure of the oil in the well. As thevalve 23 descends, the curved edges 36 of the teeth 35 will come into engagement with the curved edges 40 of the teeth 38, and this will result in rotating the valve 23 forty-five degrees, for as the valve descends, the vertical edges 37 of the teeth 35 are positioned at 45 relatively to the vertical edges 39 of the teeth 38. When the cut-off valve at the top of the well' is again opened, th'e'plunger or valve 23 will be raised, and then theedges 34 of the teeth 32 will come into engagement with the edges 22 of the teeth 20, so that the'v'alve will be given another turn, which will bring the vertical edges 33 of the teeth -32 into engagement with the vertical edges 21 of the teeth 20, so that the valve will be locked against further rotation while it is in its uppermost position.

It Will be manifest that by manipulation of. the cut-off valve at the top of the well,'the member 23' can be turned suiliciently to permit the flow to pass through any one of the ports IE, IT or H5, or to be entirely out 011.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I am aware that changes may be made in the detailsdisclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is: g

1. In a flow bean of the character described, a barrel provided with a cylindrical bore and upper outlet ports of various sizes, a cylindrical valve of substantially the same diameter as said bore arranged to reciprocate in said bore and having a port adapted to register with any one of said outlet ports, means on the valvefor closing the outlet ports with which the valve port is not in register, and cooperating means in the barrel and on the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of the barrel due to reciprocation of the valve, whereby the valve port is shifted to register with various ones of the outlet ports.

2. In a flow bean of the character described, a barrel provided with a cylindrical bore and upper outlet ports of various sizes, a cylindrical barrel and on the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of the barrel due to reciprocation of the valve, whereby the valve port is shifted-to register with various ones of the outlet ports, the first mentionedmeans comprising ball valves carried by the first mentioned valve.

3. In a flow bean of the character described,

a barrel provided with a cylindrical bore and upper outlet ports of various sizes, a, cylindrical valve of substantially the same diameter asv said borearranged to reciprocatein said, bore and having a port adapted to register with any one of said outlet ports, means onithe valve for closing the outlet ports with which the valve port is 'not in register, and cooperating means in the barrel and on the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of the barrel due to recipro- .cation of the valve, wherebythe valve port is shifted to register with various ones of the outlet ports, the first mentioned means including spring pressed balls projecting from the upper surface of the valve'member. i

4. In a flow'bean of the character described,

a barrel provided with a cylindrical bore and upper outlet ports of various sizes, a cylindrical valveof substantially the same diameter as said bore, arranged to reciprocate in said bore and having a port adapted to register with anyone of said outlet ports, means on the valve for-.clos

ing the outlet ports with which the valve is not in register, and cooperating means in the barrel andv on the valve for causing the latter to turn various sizes, a valvearranged to reciprocate in said barrel and having a port adapted to register with any one of said outlet ports, means on the valve for closing the outlet ports with" which the valve 'is not inregistenand cooperating earn teeth in the barrel and at the topland bottom of the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of thebarrel 'whenthe valve is reciproj cated, whereby the valve port is shifted to register with various ones of the outlet ports. Y 6'; In a fiow bean of the character described, a barrel provided with upper outlet ports-,of

various sizes, a valve arranged to reciprocate in said barrel and havinga port adapted to register with any one of said outlet ports, means on the valve for closing the outlet ports withWhich the valve is not in register, and'cooperating cam teeth in the barrel and at the top and bottom I of the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of the barrel when the valve is reciprocated, whereby the valve port is shifted to'register with various ones of the outlet ports, each cam tooth having one substantially vertical edge and a curved edge extending from said substantially vertical edge of one tooth to the substan tially vertical edge of an adjacenttooth.

7'. In a flow bean of the character described,

a barrel provided with upper outlet ports of various sizes, a valve arranged to reciprocate in said barrel and having a port adapted to register I with any one of said outlet ports, means on the valve for closing the outlet ports withwhich the valve port is not in register, and cooperating means in the barrel and on the valve for causing the latter to turn about the axis of the barrelwhen the valve is reciprocated, whereby the valve port is shifted to register with various ones of the outlet ports, the last mentioned means including an upper set of cam teeth arranged in the barrel above the valve, a lower set of cam teeth-arranged in the barrel below the valve, and upper and lower sets of-cam teeth provided at opposite ends of the valve, the upper set of cam teeth of the valve being complementary to and cooperating with the upper set of cam teeth of the barrel, and the lower set of cam teeth of the valve being complementary'to and cooperating with the lower set of cam teeth of the barrel.

'8.,In a flow bean of the character described, a barrel provided with upper-outlet. ports of various sizes, a valve arranged to reciprocate in said barrel and having a port adapted to register with any one of said outlet ports, means on the valve for closing the outlet ports with which the valve port is not in register, cooperating means in the barrel and on thevalve for causing the latter to turnabout the axis of the barrel due to reciprocation of the valve, whereby the valve j port is shifted to register with various ones of the outlet ports, and valve seats arranged at the lower ends of the outlet ports and cooperating with said first mentioned means.

9. A flow bean of the character described, comprising a sleeve, an upper member connected to said sleeve and provided with'a series of outlet ports of varying sizes, a set of stationary cam teeth arranged in the sleeve adjacent to said ports, a lower tubular member connected to the lower end of the sleeve, a lower set of cam teeth arranged in the sleeve adjacent to said lower member, a valve arranged to reciprocate in the sleeve between said upper and lower members, and provided with sets of cam teeth complementary to said upper and lower sets of cam teeth, and adapted to cooperate with the latter to cause turning of the valve about the axis of the elf) sleeve, due to reciprocation of the valve, a port extending through the valve and of a size substantially equal to the largest one of the outlet ports and adapted to registerwith any one of said outlet ports, and auxiliary valve means carried by the first mentioned valve and adapted to close said outlet ports with which the valve port is not in register when the first mentioned valve is in its uppermost position.

10. Afiow bean of the character described,comprising a sleeve, an upper'member connected to said sleeve and provided with a series of outlet ports of varying sizes, a set of stationary cam teeth arranged in the sleeveadjacent to said ports, a lower tubular member connected to the lower end of the sleeve, a lower seto-f cam teeth arranged in the sleeve adjacent to said lower member, a valve arranged to reciprocate in the sleeve between said upper and lower members and provided with sets of cam teeth complementary to said upper and lower, sets of cam teeth and adapted to cooperatewith the latter to cause turning of the valveabout the axis of the sleeve, due to reciprocation of the valve, a port extendingthrough the valve and of a size substantially equal'to the largest one of the outlet ports and adaptedto register with any one of said outlet ports, and auxiliary valve means carried by the first mentioned valve and adapted to close said outlet ports with which the valve port is not in register whenthe first mentioned valve is in its uppermostposition, said auxiliary valve means comprising closure elements projecting from the upper end of the first mentioned valve, springs in the first mentioned valve for urging theclosure elements upwardly, and means removably securing closure elements and springs to the first mentioned valve. v c

' 11. In a flow bean of the character described, a barrel member provided witha cylindricalbore, a cylindrical valve member of substantially the same diameter as the bore arranged to reciprocate therein, one of said members having ports of various sizes and the other having a port adapted to register with any one of said first-mentioned ports, means on one of said members for closing the non-registering ports, and cooperating means in the barrel member and carried by; the valve SAMUEL F. CUNNINGHAM. 

